Dhaka/IBNS, Nov. 17 -- Ousted Bangladesh Prime MinisterSheikh Hasinahas issued a scathing rejection of thedeath penaltyannounced against her by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), calling the ruling the outcome of a "rigged tribunal" functioning under an "unelected government with no democratic legitimacy."

In a detailed written statement, released minutes after the verdict, Hasina accused the Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration of orchestrating a politically motivated prosecution designed to destroy her and dismantle the Awami League, her party that dominated national politics for over a decade.

She reiterated that the charges-connected to the deadly student uprising of July-August 2024-were fabricated and that the judicial ...